The Performance Management

Pack

The Manager’s Materials

This pack provides a framework you can use to run a performance management session. The aims of the sessions are:

To clarify the person’s strengths - the activities in which theydeliver As, as well as where they deliver Bs and Cs - and theiragreed contribution to the organisation.

To review their present performance and to what extent they haveachieved their previously agreed goals.

To make clear contracts about their future goals and the support they need to achieve these agreed goals.

Taking these steps will provide the opportunity for real dialogue and a reality check. It will also enable the person to make their best contribution to the organisation. This pack is made up of the following sections.

Introduction

The Performance Management Pack - The Team Member’s Materials

These are the materials that will be sent out to the person to fill-in and return before the session.

The Performance Management Session – The Manager’s Road Map

This provides a road map you can follow before, during and after the session.

The Performance Improvement Pack

This provides a framework you can use in the case of there being difficulties with a person’s performance.

Finally, it is important to use these materials as a framework, Please take the ideas and use them to continue to help people to make their best contribution to the business.

The Performance Management

Pack

The Team Member’s Materials

This part of the pack is to be sent to the team member two weeks before the planned meeting. Ask them to send it back to you at least two days before the session.

This pack invites you to do several things to prepare for the performance management session. Some of these exercises you may only need to do occasionally, such as clarifying your strengths. Others you may do on an ongoing basis. The pack invites you to do the following things.

To clarify your strengths and your best contribution.

To clarify your agreed goals.

To clarify how you will keep your manager informed about yourprogress towards achieving the agreed goals.

To then review your present performance and the extent to whichyou have achieved your previously agreed goals.

To make clear contracts about your future goals.

Here are the exercises.

Introduction

My Strengths

Peak performers do what they do best and do it brilliantly. They also find ways to manage the consequences of their weaknesses. This exercise invites you to do the following things.

Describe the deeply satisfying activities in which you deliver As.

These may be particular kinds of projects, tasks or other activities. Try to be as specific as possible and give concrete examples.

Describe the activities in which you deliver Bs and Cs.

The B activities are probably those that you can do reasonably well.They are not your As, however, or maybe they were once but now youget bored doing them. The C activities are those in which you havelittle aptitude or desire to learn

(Please note: If you have previously done this exercise - and both you and your manager are fully aware of your strengths - you may simply move onto the second exercise.)

Introduction

The specific activities in which I deliver As, rather than Bs or Cs, together with some examples are:

1)

For example:

*

*

*

My Strengths

2)

For example:

*

*

*

3)

For example:

*

*

*

Bs. The specific activities in which I deliver Bs are:

1)

For example:

*

2)

For example:

*

Cs. The specific activities in which I deliver Cs are:

1)

For example:

*

2)

For example:

*

My Best Contribution Towards Achieving

The Picture Of Success

Bearing in mind the team’s picture of success and your strengths, this exercise invites you to describe the following things.

The specific results you aim to deliver towards achieving the team’s picture of success.

These aims should be written in outcome terms - such as the specific results you will deliver - rather than as a list of activities.

The specific benefits - to the various stakeholders - of delivering these results.

The specific things you will do to proactively update people about your progress towards achieving the results.

Introduction

The specific support you would like to help you to achieve theresults.

The specific early successes you will aim to deliver.

Complete these exercises up to and including the page Specific Early Successes and send these to your manager. You can then agree on your goals for the year.

After the meeting you can then complete the section in which you write your agreed goals for the year.

We aim to build a strengths based team and co-ordinate these strengths to reach the goal.

We must, however, deliver the Scorecard. These are the mandatory things the team must deliver. This will sometimes mean everybody getting involved in doing great work and helping to do the other tasks.

We want to encourage you to build on your strengths, because you are then more likely to do great work. At the same time, however, it is your responsibility to manage the consequences of any weaknesses.

We want to manage by outcomes, rather than by tasks. Once the outcomes are agreed, we ask you to be accountable for delivering the goods. How you achieve this - providing your follow the organisation’s agreed principles - is up to you and your team.

Here are the exercises.

Some Background

Bearing in mind the picture of success and my strengths, the specific results I want to

deliver towards achieving the team’s goals are:

1) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

My Specific Contribution

2) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

3) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

The specific benefits of making this contribution - for the team, customers, colleagues and other stakeholders - will be:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Benefits

The specific things I will do to proactively keep people informed about the progress towards delivering the results will be:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Updates

The specific support I would like to help me to achieve the goals, plus the support I will give to other people, is:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Support

The specific early successes I will aim to deliver will be:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Early Successes

My Agreed Goals

After clarifying your strengths you will then meet with your manager and agree on your goals.

When doing this, it is important to bear in mind the team’s picture of success and your strengths. You will then agree with your manager on your contribution towards achieving this picture of success.

Try to write your goals in outcome terms. Describe the actual things you will deliver, rather than a set of activities.

You can then keep referring back to these goals when having ongoing meetings with your manager.

Introduction

1) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

After meeting with my manager, the agreed specific results that I will aim to deliver are:

2) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

3) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

My Progress Reports

This section provides a framework you can use for meeting regularly with your manager.

Bearing in mind the results you aim to deliver, it invites you to do the following things.

Describe the specific outcomes you have agreed to deliver.

Describe the specific things you have delivered in the past month (or other time frame).

Describe the specific things you aim to deliver in the next month (or other time frame).

Describe any other things you would like to discuss in the meeting with your manager.

Introduction

The specific outcomes - the results - I aim to deliver by … are:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Goals

The specific things that I have delivered in the past month towards achieving these goals have been:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Past Month

The specific things that I aim to deliver in the month towards achieving these goals are:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Next Month

The other things I would like to discuss - such as any challenges I face, my plans for tackling these, any support I need and any other topics I would like to explore - are :

1) To

2) To

3) To

The Summary

My Performance

Review

This section provides a framework you can use to assess your own performance. It invites you to do the following things.

Describe each of the specific agreed goals you aimed to achieve.

Describe the rating you would give yourself in terms of achieving each of these specific goals. Do this on a scale 0-10.

Describe the specific things you believe you are doing well - or have done well - and how you can build on these things.

Describe the specific things you believe you can do better and how.

You can send this part of the review to your manager before meeting with them. This will provide some material that you can discuss during the meeting.

After the meeting you can then do an exercise where you describe your future agreed goals. We will give more explanation about this later in the materials.

Introduction

1) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

The rating I would give myself in terms of achieving this goal - on a scale 0-10 - would be:

____ / 10

My Agreed Goals Were The Following

2) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

The rating I would give myself in terms of achieving this goal - on a scale 0-10 - would be:

____ / 10

3) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

The rating I would give myself in terms of achieving this goal - on a scale 0-10 - would be:

____ / 10

1)

For example:

-

2)

For example:

-

3)

For example:

-

What I Am Doing Well. The specific things I am doing well - or have done well - are:

1)

For example:

-

2)

For example:

-

3)

For example:

-

The specific things I can do to build on what I am doing well are:

1)

For example:

-

2)

For example:

-

3)

For example:

-

What I Can Do Better. The specific things I can do better and how are:

My Future Goals

This section provides a framework you can use complete after the performance review.

It follows the same format as before for describing your agreed goals. You can then keep referring back to these outcomes when having discussions with your manager.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to proactively keep people informed about your progress.

You can use the framework shown earlier for meeting with your manager on a monthly basis.

This framework is included again to provide a template for these meetings.

Introduction

My AgreedFuture Goals

1) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

After meeting with my manager, the agreed specific results that I will aim to deliver are:

2) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

3) To

For example:

- To

- To

- To

My Progress Report

The specific outcomes - the results - I aim to deliver by … are:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Specific Goals

The specific things that I have delivered in the past month towards achieving these goals have been:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Past Month

The specific things that I aim to deliver in the month towards achieving these goals are:

1) To

For example:

2) To

For example:

3) To

For example:

The Next Month

The other things I would like to discuss - such as any challenges I face, my plans for tackling these, any support I need and any other topics I would like to explore - are :

1) To

2) To

3) To

The Summary

The Performance Management

Session

The Manager’s Road Map For Running A Session

Set-up a time and place to meet for the performance managementsession.

Make sure you will have plenty of time to prepare. It is good if you can arrange the session at least three weeks in advance. Allow at least one and a half hours for the session.

In addition to setting aside time for your own preparation for the session, make sure that you leave at least half an hour clear before the session to get in the right frame of mind.

Send The Performance Management Pack - The Team Member’sMaterials - to the person at least two weeks before the session.

Ask them to complete the appropriate exercises and return these to you at least 3 days before the session.

Step 1: Before The Session

Set aside time to prepare properly for the session.

Spend at least an hour preparing for the session. Looking at the various exercises, it will be important to focus on those that are relevant. At various times these may include the following.

You can focus on the My Strengths, My Best Contribution and My Agreed Goals exercises.

Looking at these, you may want to explore the following themes.

What do you believe are the activities in which the person can deliver As? Where do they deliver Bs and Cs?

Bearing in mind the person’s strengths, what do you believe wouldbe their best contribution to the team or organisation?

If the person has already had a session with you, what were theagreed goals the person aimed to deliver?

You can focus on the My Performance Review exercise.

Looking at the person’s previously agreed goals, how would yourate their performance in relation to achieving each of the goals?Rate these on a scale 0-10.

Clarify the specific things you think the person could have done - orcan do in the future - to increase the rating.

What are the specific things the person has done well? How canthey build on these things? What can they do better in the futureand how?

You can focus on the My Future Goals exercise.

Clarify the goals you want the person to achieve in the future.

Clarify the goals you think the person will want to achieve.

Clarify how you can agree on the future goals.

You can prepare properly if there are doubts about the person being able to continue working in their present role or in the organisation.

There may be some occasions when it is important to considerwhether the person fits their present role or the organisation’sculture. If appropriate, it may then be helpful to explore ThePerformance Improvement process outlined at the end of thesematerials.

You can spend time looking at the person’s returned exercise on MyPerformance Review.

Look at the completed materials and focus on: 1) The areas inwhich you agree with the person; 2) The areas in which you havedifferent views. Let’s explore these two aspects.

First, the areas in which you agree with the person. For example, their ratings regarding to what extent they have reached their present goals. Consider how you can build on these areas you have in common.

Second, the areas in which you have different views from the person. Start by identifying the differences. Then clarify the real results you want to achieve in any discussion with the person.

Do you want to just give the person clear messages about improving? If so, do you want to give them a real chance of reaching the goals? Or is it a case of them not being the right fit for the organisation in the future?

Clarify ‘What’ you want to achieve. Then clarify ‘How’ you can do your best to achieve this result.

You can mentally rehearse the session.

Finish the preparation by mentally rehearsing the session. You may want to explore the following themes.

What are the positive things that might happen in the session? How can I build on these possibilities? What may be the potential difficult situations? How can you deal with these challenges? If you wish, complete the following exercise.

Preparing For The Session

The ‘What’. The specific results I want to achieve in the session are:

1) To

2) To

3) To

The ‘How’. The specific things I can do to do my best to achieve these results are:

1) To

2) To

3) To

The following pages provide ideas you can use to facilitate the session. You will already be using many of these skills.

Welcome the person.

Get the first ten seconds right. Create an encouraging environment. Arrange the seating in a way that will help you to communicate. Give your total attention to the person. Get the social part right before moving on to the main topics for the meeting.

Make a clear contract about the goals for the session.

If it is a first meeting, you can describe: a) What the session is about; b) What it isn’t about. Ask if there are any other things they want to explore during the session.

If it is one of the regular sessions you have, it is still important to make clear contracts and agree on the topics to cover in the session.

Step 2: During The Session

Demonstrate good listening skills.

Create a good atmosphere in which the person feels safe and valued. Demonstrate good listening skills.

Ask yourself: "How have I shown the person that I understood what they said?" Check-out your understanding of what they mean by asking: "Are you saying that....?' Look for the person responding by nodding or saying “Yes."

Invite the person to talk through the exercises they have done.

Here are some of the things you may wish to consider when they talk through the following exercises.

My Strengths

Listen to their views on the activities in which they can deliver A’s. If appropriate, share your views on where they actually do deliver As. Looking to the future, explore how you think they can make their best contribution to the organisation.

My Performance Review

Listen to their views on how they rate their performance in relationto achieving each of the goals. They will have done this on a scale 0-10. If appropriate, ask how they think they could have improvedany of the ratings.

You may also want to give feedback on what you think the personhas done well and how they can build on these things. Ifappropriate, say you would like to share your view of the ratings,any key differences and how you think they can improve the ratings.

My Future Goals

It is up to you regarding how far into the future you want to setspecific goals. Obviously it would be useful to have a time framethat fits with the next performance management session in, forexample, six months.

Whichever time frame you choose, you may want to go through the following steps.

Invite the person to describe what they see as the goals they want to achieve in the next x months.

Share your view of the goals you want them to achieve. (After all, you are the key stakeholder and can actually set the goals.)

Agree with the person on the specific goals they aim to deliver.

It can also be good to agree on: The specific things they will do to keep your informed; The specific support they need; The specific early successes they will deliver. Make copies of the My Agreed Goals. The person keeps one copy and you keep one copy.

Finish the session in a positive way.

Make sure you cover all the items on the agenda. Ask if there is anything else the person would like to discuss. Say what you will do to follow-up the session and finish in a positive way.

Fulfil any commitments you have made to follow-up the session.

Keep improving your ability to facilitate Performance Managementsessions. You can clarify the following things.

Three things I did well during the session and how I can do more of these things in the future

***

Two things I can do better in the future and how

**

Build-in times to catch-up with the person after the session to seehow they are doing and provide any support they need to reach thegoals.

Step 3: After The Session

Appendix:The

Performance Improvement Pack

Giving Tough News and Making Clear Contracts

“What about poor performers?” somebody may ask. If somebody is not reaching their agreed goals, you can take the following steps.

Clarify the picture of success

Ask yourself: “What are the specific results an ‘A’ player would be delivering in this role? What are the actual words the customers would be saying about the quality of service an ‘A’ player would be giving? What would their colleagues be saying about their professional standards?” Try describing:

My picture of success about what an ‘A’ player in this role would be delivering is:

*

*

*

Introduction

Clarify the person’s potential

Bearing in mind this Picture of Success, ask yourself:

“To what extent is the person delivering these results today? How would I rate them on a scale 0-10? What is their potential?

“Do they have the right attitude, ability and application? Given the right coaching, what rating do I think they can achieve?”

Considering your answers, do you believe:

a) The person has the potential to achieve the required rating?

b) The person is more suited to another role - inside or outside the business - where they can get at least a 7/10?

Make a decision. Decide whether or not you want to help the person to master the particular role.

Morality is crucial. If you want the person to move on, it is vital that you have previously given them a clear message about improving their performance.

Carry out the plan to help the

person achieve the picture of success

If you decide to work with the person on developing their performance, however, you may wish to follow this framework.

Set up the meeting and position it properly.

Contact the person. Explain that you want to talk about how to continue to improve their performance. Say it is a session about growing into a role - it is not a ‘Goodbye’ meeting.

(Don’t be afraid to say farewell to people, but there is a lot of work that can be done before such an exit.)

Start the meeting by welcoming the person. Explain that you want

to do a Reality Check. Describe what you plan to cover in the

session.

Explain that you will explore what the person does well and what they can improve. You will also share your Picture of Success regarding what somebody in their role would be delivering.

Ask the person to do some self-evaluation and then give your picture of success

Invite them to evaluate their own performance.

Listen carefully. Ask for examples where appropriate. You need to understand their picture.

If it is helpful, give positive but honest feedback regarding their successes. But there will be hard news to deliver, so communicate this by moving onto the next stage.

Give your picture of success about what an ‘A’ player in this role would be delivering.

Talk about the desired outcome because people must have something to aspire to in the future.

Do not harangue them with details, otherwise it is easy to get into an argument. Give them clear messages about the following things.

The specific results an ‘A’ player in this role would be delivering would be:

***

The actual words the customers would be saying about the kind of service an ‘A’ player would be giving them would be:

***

The actual words colleagues would be saying an ‘A’ player’s professional standards would be:

***

Invite them to evaluate their own performance in relation to the picture of success

Ask them: “On a scale 0-10, how do you presently rate yourself in delivering such results? What do you think you must do to boost the scores?” Have a short discussion about their self-evaluation. If appropriate, share your ratings of their performance.

Consider taking a Time Out at this point

If appropriate, invite the person to take time to reflect on the possible ways forward. For example: You can meet in two days to explore the options.

(You do not have to adjourn for such a long time. A short break might also do the trick.)

Why take a Time Out? If the tough news is unexpected, a person may get stuck in denial. Don’t get locked in arguments about details. Give them time to lick their wounds.

The aim is for them to take ownership for deciding their future route.

Explain that they do have choices - and each one has consequences. For example:

- They can ignore the reality check.

- They can argue about details, say you are wrong and seek another opinion.

- They can go through the motions of taking ideas on board, but continue as before.

- They can create a plan for focusing on the role and achieving an agreed picture of success.

- They can explore other options in the business. For example: Roles where they are more likely to achieve a 10/10 for that picture of success.

Imagine the person returns and says that they want to work towards achieving the desired results

You can work with them to create a Coaching Contract. This should cover the following areas.

1) Their specific goals. 2) Their responsibility in working towards achieving the goals. 3) The help they would like from you. 4) The specific measures that will show they have reached the goals.

The following pages provide a framework for such a contract. You can then work together to achieve the agreed picture of success.

Continue to work with the person on their professional development

Providing the person has the will, they may be able to learn the skill. But what if they are not successful? They may decide to leave or you may decide they will never get beyond 6/10 in the role. If so, help the person to move onto other things inside or outside the organisation.

The Coaching Contract

This to be written by the team member and agreed with the manager

My Specific Goals. The specific results I want to achieve are:

1) To

2) To

3) To

My Role. The specific things I see as my responsibility in working towards achieving the goals are:

1) To

2) To

3) To

The Manager’s Role. The specific help I would like from my manager - and others - to help me achieve the results are:

1) To

2) To

3) To

The Measures. The specific things that will be happening that will show I have achieved the results are:

1)

2)

3)